is housework classed as excersize?

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karen27scott
karen27scott Posts: 7
in Fitness and Exercise
hi all,

im asking this question because i really dont do much excersize because with 5 children its very hard to get to the gym,

how many calories can be burned in lets say a 2hr mad cleaning session??? and is it enough for me?

i feel like im not doing enough to tone up my body and burn the calories ive eaten and feel like i might get hanging skin around my stomach when the weights gone,

what do you think?

thanks for reading :ox

Replies

  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    I personally say no that it's not exercise. It's also hard to say how many calories are burned because 2 hr mad cleaning session has a different meaning to each person.

    The only way to "tone" up a body is by lifting weights.. and heavy ones. Combine that with a bit of cardio, and you'll see the results that you want.
  • PinkEarthMama
    PinkEarthMama Posts: 987 Member
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    If it raises your heart rate, and you're sweating and out of breath, then yes ( for me ).

    Try it. Count those calories as exercise. if you're losing weight, then it works. If you don't lose weight / gain weight, then don't count them.

    Good luck!
  • fluffyduckquack
    fluffyduckquack Posts: 10 Member
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    I think if you add walking into your house cleaning and light weights for additional excerise will not burn more calories, but tone your muscles as well. Take the kids for a walk around a park or neighborhood will not only help you, but help them too. Make fun by playing a guessing game while you walk outside. Ask what do they see and everyone tries to figure it out. Next think you know you have walked hour.
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
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    It depends on your activity level. I was set a sedentary which was lower than my BMR. So anything I did counted as exercise.
  • BoxingCoachMo
    BoxingCoachMo Posts: 420
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    i don't know if you would term it as excercise but you certainly do burn calories...

    I would use the myfitnesspal app to see how many calories you should consume per week/daily to reach your target weight...

    You can do cardio at home... walk up and down the stairs... or walk up and down a step ladder... for cardio...
  • karen27scott
    karen27scott Posts: 7
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    thanks for all your replies so far, just to elaborate a bit more, in my house i have 5 children as u all know and they can make an awful lot of mess, so on top of all there mess i have alot more jobs to do ie laundry which includes loading and unloading the washing machine same with the drier aswell then ironing and putting all the clothes upstairs baring in mind i have 3 floors to my home then theres hoovering all 3 floors, mopping, wiping, dusting ect ect all of this is a daily thing for me, so surely all this must count towards weight loss and toning.
  • BoxingCoachMo
    BoxingCoachMo Posts: 420
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    sounds like a lot of work you are putting in there... it maybe the case that you are burning too many calories and not eating enough... = retention of fat.

    what are your satiety levels after you have finished your chores.. and after a few hours of finishing your chores?
  • karen27scott
    karen27scott Posts: 7
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  • pinkydemon
    pinkydemon Posts: 135 Member
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    thanks for all your replies so far, just to elaborate a bit more, in my house i have 5 children as u all know and they can make an awful lot of mess, so on top of all there mess i have alot more jobs to do ie laundry which includes loading and unloading the washing machine same with the drier aswell then ironing and putting all the clothes upstairs baring in mind i have 3 floors to my home then theres hoovering all 3 floors, mopping, wiping, dusting ect ect all of this is a daily thing for me, so surely all this must count towards weight loss and toning.

    If you do this every day then it is actually no excercise per se, as in done actively next to what you do every day. But as far as i know if you put your level to active then mfp actually keeps this fact in mind regarding your calorie count.
  • calliope_music
    calliope_music Posts: 1,242 Member
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    i personally don't count cleaning unless i'm scrubbing the floor by hand or something, but i do get to the gym and i definitely don't have 5 kids to take care of!!

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